The Nightmare Before Christmas is a beloved favorite in our home. After watching it countless times, I decided to create a Nightmare Before Christmas holiday door — a gateway to Halloween Town — and attach it to one of our trees. It turned out even better than I imagined.
If you remember the film, there’s a jack-o’-lantern “door” at the start that opens (the nose serves like a knob), revealing the way into Jack Skellington’s world. It’s one of the movie’s most iconic holiday tree decorations, and it’s a fun one to recreate.
This project is simple, inexpensive, and makes a big visual impact. It’s perfect for families with fans of the movie or anyone who wants a playful, slightly spooky front-yard Halloween decoration.
We love pretending to open the door and “fall” into Halloween Town on our neighborhood walks. Follow the steps below to make your own.
Supplies You’ll Need
Gather the following materials to build your Halloween Town door:
- 2mm EVA foam (stronger than craft foam; flexible wood can work depending on tree size)
- Paint: orange, brown, green, white
- Paint brush
- Scissors
- Hot glue
- Nails (or another hanging method appropriate for your tree)
Note: If you live in an area with harsh weather, choose outdoor-grade paint and weatherproof materials to ensure your door holds up through rain or snow.
How To Make the Nightmare Before Christmas Holiday Door
Follow these clear steps to create your pumpkin door and mount it on a tree:
- Cut the pumpkin silhouette from the EVA foam. I freehanded mine, but you can project an image from the movie onto a wall and trace it for a precise shape.
- Lightly sketch the jack-o’-lantern face onto the foam so you have a guide for painting.
- Use the back of a paintbrush or pen to press grooves into the foam, creating the textured, wood-like pumpkin ridges seen in the film.
- Paint the pumpkin. Mix a few orange shades and add a lighter area to mimic the movie’s lighting. Paint the facial features in dark brown and the stem in a deep forest green.
- For the nose/knob, cut three small triangles from foam. Glue them in a stacked arrangement, then paint the stack a beige or light tan color. Let it dry completely.
- Attach the finished nose to the pumpkin with hot glue.
- Secure the pumpkin to the tree using nails or another appropriate hanging method, taking care to protect the tree and choose fasteners that suit your installation location.
Photos by Jeff Mindell
We’re already planning to add a life-size Jack Skellington, maybe a Zero, and a Sally to keep the door company — so this might become a full Halloween display. And come November, we’ll swap it out for a Christmas Town door to keep the holiday spirit alive.
How To Make A Nightmare Before Christmas Holiday Door (to Halloween Town!)
Materials
- 2mm EVA foam — stronger than regular craft foam; flexible wood is an alternative depending on tree size.
- Paint: orange, brown, green, white
- Paint brush
- Scissors
- Hot glue
- Nails (for hanging)
Instructions
- Cut the pumpkin shape from EVA foam. Freehand or trace a projected image for accuracy.
- Lightly draw the jack-o’-lantern face onto the foam as a painting guide.
- Press grooves into the foam with the back of a brush or pen to create a wood-like texture.
- Paint the pumpkin with layered oranges, use dark brown for the face, and a deep green for the stem.
- Create the nose by stacking three small foam triangles, glue them together, and paint beige. Allow to dry.
- Glue the stacked nose to the pumpkin with hot glue.
- Hang the finished pumpkin on the tree using nails or another secure method appropriate for your installation.